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As usual the PGA Tour’s year-opening fortnight in Hawaii is followed by the West Coast Swing which is always kicked off by the pro-am in the desert at Palm Springs, California. Originally known as the Palm Springs Classic, it became the Bob Hope Classic, and in recent years has run through sponsors at quite a rate of knots. Its latest incarnation is as The American Express and the big news is that Phil Mickelson, last year’s runner-up and a two-time winner, will be the host. Three courses are used in rotation: the Stadium Course (7,133 yards), the Nicklaus Tournament Course (7,159 yards) and the La Quinta Country Club (7,060 yards), each of them par 72s. The Pete Dye-designed Stadium Course took over the full hosting duties in 2016, which means that it is used twice, so this will be a fifth time it has been the key venue. Broadly speaking low scoring is the order of the week. Adam Hadwin has posted a 59 at La Quinta, Harrison Frazar did so at the Nicklaus Tournament Course, whilst 63s have been registered at the Stadium Course when it hosted Q School in the past. Since it became a 72-hole event in 2012 (it was previously 90 holes) the winning score has been 20-under or better, usually at least three or four shots better. With the amateurs hacking away the layout need to be relatively benign, although desert winds can protect the cards, but in addition the double use of the Dye course has aided the cause of the ball strikers, with Jason Dufner and Hudson Swafford two winning examples. Angles to consider 1/ SG: Tee to Green This category backs up the notion that ball strikers have done well in recent years. In 2016 and 2017 the 1,2,3 for T2G were all top ten. In 2018 the 1 and 3 were and everyone T6th or better was top 20 in the category. Last year the 1,2,3 were all top four. 2/ Putting Average In those same last four years SG Putting hasn’t really shown up as valuable whilst old fashioned Putting Average has. In 2016 the top two averaged 1.54 (top six for the category). In 2017 the 1,2,3 in the category were all T6 or better. In 2018 the winner averaged 1.56 (eighth) and last year Adam Long ranked first (1.51). 3/ Event form Far from a given, but there are players who can cope with the unusual rigours of pro-am golf and others who are driven mad by it. Avoiding players with particularly poor records in the format is more of a strategy than actively seeking golfer with especially strong log books in the tournament. Selections The above angles have been used to create a shortlist from which the following players are selected. Sung-Jae Im The Korean remains a player very much on the rise on the PGA Tour and he showed plenty on his tournament debut to suggest he’s worthy of following. He opened and closed the week with a pair of 71s, but in rounds two and three he thrashed 65-64. He knocked the winter rust away with T21 last week in Hawaii and his numbers are good – he ranks ninth for Putting Average amongst this field and last season was 33rd for SG: Tee to Green. Ryan Moore He’s not played the event for a while, but he enjoyed it when he did give it a go, finishing fifth in 2008 and tenth in 2010. He ranks sixth for Putting Average within the field and was 28th for SG:T2G during the 2019 season on the PGA Tour. He ended that campaign with a poor T72nd in the Zozo Championship, but before that he was T13th in the Shriner’s Open and T8th in the CJ Cup. Bud Cauley He missed the cut last year but before that reeled off three high quality finishes in this event – 14th in 2016 and also in 2018, with third in-between. He’s 26th in the field’s Putting Average table and was 40th for SG: Tee to Green last season. He missed the cut at the Sony Open last week, but before that he was T9th in his final start of 2019, at the Houston Open. Tips: 2-1; +23.25pts 1pt e.w. Sung Jae Im at 18/1 (Skybet 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6,7) 10th 1pt e.w. Ryan Moore at 50/1 (BF Sportsbook, PaddyPower 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8) 6th 1pt e.w. Bud Cauley at 100/1 (W Hill 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6) 4th
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